Badlands Hanover has been retired from stallion duty, Winbak Farm of Delaware announced on Wednesday, Oct. 30.

Badlands Hanover, p, 2, 1:50z ($754,772) retires from stallion duty at the age of 28. The world champion son of Western Hanover is the No. 1 pacing sire for Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Stakes final winners.

“Badlands Hanover is one of my favourite stallions that we have ever stood,” said Joe Thomson, Winbak Farm Owner. “His offspring won many stakes and helped pay the bills for many.”

At two, Badlands Hanover won the Breeders Crown elimination and final, Niatross Pace, a division of the Bluegrass Stakes, Keystone Classic and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes, and a Governor's Cup elimination. He was second in the Woodrow Wilson elimination and third in the final. At three, he won a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and was second in the Jug Preview, an Adios Stakes elimination and Meadowlands Pace elimination. At four, he won the Governor’s Cup elimination and final.

During his racing career, he was trained by Joe Holloway and Jeffrey Smith.

“Badlands Hanover retired as the fastest two-year-old pacer ever,” said Jack Burke, Winbak Farm General Manager. “He set a world record winning the Breeders Crown final at Colonial.”

The first Badlands Hanover foals were born in 2001. Badlands Hanover stood his first Delaware season in 2001 at Winbak Farm of Delaware. He moved to Winbak Farm of Canada in 2009 and later returned to Winbak Farm of Delaware in 2018.  

“We would like to give a special thank you to everyone who supported Badlands Hanover during his career,” said Thomson. “He had many fans but was probably most loved by John Celii, who owned him while he was racing and while he stood at stud until 2018 when Celii passed away.”

As a sire, Badlands Hanover averages $82,639 earnings per starter. He is the sire of 861 race winners in North America and 286 who earned $100,000 or more. Badlands Hanover offspring have earned $88,919,305 in North America. He is the sire of three millionaires in North America, including Tug River Princess, p, 1:49.3 ($1,858,219), Badlands Nitro, p, 3, 1:50f ($1,605,638), and Mr Wiggles, p, 3, 1:49.1f ($1,195,099). Tug River Princess is the richest pacer ever in the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund program in 22 years.

Recent standouts include Bad Boy Too, p, 1:51f –’24 ($299,464), Slipinsidewayz, p, 3, 1:56.4h –’24 ($131,184), Shocking Truth, p, 3, 1:55.4h –’24 ($$144,253), and Primo Maschio, p, 2, 1:54.1h –’24 ($$148,290).

Badlands Hanover has sired multiple stallions including Badlands Nitro, Mr Wiggles and Delmarvalous, p, 3, 1:48.2 ($905,691), who all sired stakes winners. 

As a broodmare sire, Badlands Hanover is the sire of the dams of Limelight Beach, p, 3, 1:49.1 ($1,370,324), Semi Tough, p, 1:49.4 ($1,366,461), Manhattan Beach, p, 3, 1:49.2f ($869,862), Nike Franco N, p, 1:48 ($842,566), Carolina Beach, p, 1:49.1f ($833,159), and 2024 Ohio Sire Stakes final winner Odds On Hialeah, p, 2, 1:51.4h –’24 ($443,545).

“Winbak Farm’s broodmare band includes 13 Badlands Hanover daughters,” said Thomson. “They are highlighted by Fit N Bad, who is the dam of O’Brien Award winner Lauras Love.”

Badlands Hanover will continue to reside at Winbak Farm of Delaware.

“Badlands Hanover will live a life of leisure,” said Burke. “He will have the best of care during his retirement and continue to be one of the most loved horses at Winbak Farm.”

(With files from Winbak Farm)